Just a quick note before you read:

I just want to point out things I've changed. To start with, Mr. Collins is not a clergyman, as Mr. Elton already has the job. Mr. Collins is Lady Catherine's steward which I've read is the highest servant position (after valet, but why would Lady Catherine have a valet?). The P&P characters are at the point of the book where Kent would be, while Emma characters have only just started their story. Emma is not friends with Harriet (yet, though it may happen) and Mr. Elton has not proposed.

The story of P&P before this is almost exactly the same and it will be referenced from time to time. Anything else I think of will be posted at the beginning of the chapter it applies to.

"Must you really go?" Jane whined to her sister for the twelfth time that evening. Elizabeth merely rolled her eyes at her sister.

"Yes, I have promised her that I will go and I will not break that promise. Besides, you will be in London with Aunt and Uncle Gardiner. Even if I stayed we would not be together." Jane frowned. Looking at Elizabeth beseechingly she tried again.

"You could stay in London too. Our aunt would be glad to have you, and—." Elizabeth shook her head.

"You know how disappointed Emma would be. I have promised many times to visit her, but this is the first time in years that I could go." Jane sighed and leaned over to hug her sister. Though they would be apart for only a short time, she would miss her terribly. Jane couldn't even think how she would get along once they both had married.

"Just promise me you won't let Emma keep you too long." Elizabeth laughed at her sister and promised to be home as soon as she could.

Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam laughed together at a joke the Colonel had just told. The long trip to Highbury hardly seemed to last long at all as they joked and talked their way through the miles. Neither was particularly happy to be seeing Lady Catherine, but the two cousins felt that they could survive the trip with little strife.

Colonel Fitzwilliam was planning to spend many hours with his good friend Knightly. Though Darcy had never met the man, he had heard a great deal about him and was happy that he would have time to get to know him. From what the Colonel said, they should get along famously.

Mr. Knightly traced the familiar steps to Hartfield. His near daily visits had made it so he could walk the distance from Donwell Abbey to Hartfield with his eyes closed. As he crossed the threshold, he was surprised to see the occupants in a flurry of action. Curious, he cleared his throat, startling Emma who had been overseeing the whole of the activity.

"What is the occasion?" Emma walked over to him, leaving the servants to finish on their own.

"Elizabeth is coming." Knightley racked his brain for a minute before he could think of any Elizabeth.

"Ah, your friend from… where was it?"

"Hertfordshire." Knightley raised an eyebrow, incredulous.

"Hertfordshire? That is quite a distance." Emma nodded in agreement.

"That is why she has not come very often and when she does, she often cannot stay long. When Isabella was still here I could visit her, but now as I am the only one here, I cannot leave father. She has been here before, but you always are in London on business or some such thing. Promise me you will allow me to introduce the two of you." Knightley was happy to agree. He had been curious about this Elizabeth for a long time. He wondered at such a friendship, for he knew that Elizabeth was socially Emma's inferior and the distance between them made it hard for them to meet. How did their friendship survive such problems? Knightley hoped his questions would be answered soon. He had no intention of missing an introduction with Emma's very close friend.

Knightley ended the visit far earlier than he had planned. As she was organizing the servants, Emma had little time to talk to him and Mr. Woodhouse was busy writing a reply to his friend, a Mr. Bennet. Knightley returned to Donwell Abbey and began preparations of his own. He planned to call on Fitzwilliam the next day, so he had to clear up any business that might interfere with the time with his friend.

Elizabeth relaxed into the cushioned seating of the carriage. She was flattered that Emma would send her own private carriage for her, instead of a coach. She knew Emma could not accompany her for the journey, as she could not leave her father, so Elizabeth picked out a few books to take with her in the carriage. The familiar views from the nearby lanes held no interest for her. It was only as she grew closer to Highbury that her eyes began to devourer the scenery.

Much had altered since her last visit. She regretted not having come before this, but her father was always reluctant to part with her, even more so than Jane, and it was rare that he would ever allow her to leave if Jane was also to go. Without them very little sense was ever spoken at Longbourn.

As Elizabeth stepped out of the carriage, she was enfolded in a warm embrace from her friend. "Dear Emma, I am so happy to see you."

"Oh Lizzy, it has been far too long."

"Do come in, do. You will catch your death exposing yourself to the weather like that. Your father would never forgive me if I let you catch your death." Mr. Woodhouse stood inside the entryway nervously glancing at the clear blue sky as though it was about to let loose with rain any second. The two friends pulled apart, identical expressions of amusement in their eyes.

Elizabeth couldn't quite understand the relationship between Mr. Woodhouse and her father. It had been her friendship with Emma that had brought it about, but she had no clue what they could write to each other. The correspondence between them demanded at least a letter a week and Elizabeth often found her father chuckling over some part of Woodhouse's newest letter. Unlike most of his other correspondence, Mr. Bennet would not share Woodhouse's letters, even with his favorite daughter. They would simply have to remain a mystery.

Smiling to herself, Elizabeth walked through the doors of Hartfield feeling a sense of comfort wash over her. Though it could not be any less like Longbourn, Hartfield still felt like a home away from home.

Just the prologue. The interesting stuff is coming soon. =)